Episodes

  • Relevant Reflections
    Nov 20 2024

    On the 223rd episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith, Ivan Ozerets, Dave Anderson, and Andy Fitzell talk tennis. With player development as their purpose, the foursome look backwards with the goal of helping fellow tennis enthusiasts.

    Listeners are given points to ponder. The panel's insights and perspectives should prove to be of value. Everyone has heard that hindsight is 20-20. No one has a crystal ball. No one knows for sure what will unfold in the future. Yet foresight to avoid certain tennis pitfalls is of great importance.

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    2 hrs and 57 mins
  • Enjoyment, Exercise, and Education
    Nov 13 2024

    On the 222nd episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith, Ivan Ozerets, Dave Anderson, and Andy Fitzel discuss a rather simple concept. With reflective thought, a tennis teaching professional should strive to deliver enjoyment, exercise, and education each and everyday.

    Hopefully by listening tennis enthusiasts and experts will find a golden nugget or two to add to their tennis treasure chest.

    Thanks for supporting our non-profit organization (Great Base Tennis Education).

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    2 hrs and 16 mins
  • Rafa Nadal, Thank You
    Nov 6 2024

    On the 221st episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith, Ivan Ozerets, Dave Anderson, and Andy Fitzell pay tribute to Rafael Nadal. The over-used cliche, there will never be another, applies.

    We all have heard the phrase, never say never. Yet in the history of tennis, there is one situation that comes to mind where the word never can be used. Never again, will one tennis player win 14 French Opens.

    The commentary of our foursome is certainly more of a review of Rafa's character than his tennis. With total humility, Rafa displayed the absolute best example of the human competitive spirit. Every curriculum for tennis development from this point forward should have a chapter dedicated to Rafael and his team.

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    2 hrs and 4 mins
  • Mike Custer, Tennis Mind
    Oct 30 2024

    On the 220th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith and Ivan Ozerets discuss tennis with Mike Custer. To make an understatement, Mike has put a lifetime of thought into the whys and why-nots of the tennis industry.

    He is an accomplished player and veteran tennis teacher with more than 40 years of diversified experience. He started his professional pathway by studying tennis with Steve and then he worked for the legendary Dennis Van der Meer. He has worked with all levels of players but has primarily worked with adult players throughout his career.

    Mike's input strikes a chord with our mission. The connection of logic, truth, scientific rationale and common sense will ring loud and clear for tour listeners.

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    2 hrs and 37 mins
  • Jodie Johnson, Fitness
    Oct 23 2024

    On the 219th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith and Ivan Ozererts interview Jodie Johnson.

    Jodie had the ambition to be a major athlete but his dreams were side-tracked with childhood health problems and injury after injury.

    His journey kept him connected to sport through attempted comebacks and tutoring. Even during his work as an engineer and entrepreneur, he kept a career in sport in the forefront of his mind.

    We are confident that our listeners will learn to respect Jodie's intellectual curiosity and 25 plus years in the fitness industry. For a 15 plus year period, Steve's tennis school and Jodie's gym were just miles apart in Tampa, Florida. Steve, on a first-hand basis, observed the improvement and results of Jodie's athletes.

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    4 hrs and 40 mins
  • Vic Braden, Andy Fitzell & Basics
    Oct 16 2024

    On the 218th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith and Ivan Ozerets discuss tennis information pertaining to basic stroke-production with Andy Fitzell. Andy is the founder of the GreatBase Tennis podcast and, like Steve, spent decades working with the late Vic Braden.

    Vic passed away ten years ago on October 6th, 2014. The goal of the GreatBase is to continue to shine a bright light on the wonderful contributions Mr. Braden made to the game of tennis. His work will always be relevant because his findings were all based on scientific principles.

    The episode will serve as a solid introduction to first-time listeners and reinforcement for those who have followed the GreatBase content for years.

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    3 hrs and 14 mins
  • Clayton Stanley
    Oct 9 2024

    On the 217 episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith, Richard Hernandez, and Dave Anderson ask Clayton Stanley questions. The four were part of a unique tennis culture in the 1980s. Clayton started his tennis journey with Steve as his instructor when he was 6 and Steve was 26.

    Steve and Clayton's father, David, were basically partners in raising a tennis kid.

    When Richard first observed a young Clayton's ball striking skills, he left his job as a tennis teacher at a nearby club to join David and others from around the world to study tennis. All these years later, Richard and David have collectively developed hundreds of college tennis players.

    The story at hand started 44 years ago and clearly points out that one would be wise to take a deep dive into the free educational content provided by GreatBase. The pathway is proven.

    Clayton, Happy 50th.

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    2 hrs and 24 mins
  • Robert Lansdorp
    Oct 2 2024

    Robert Lansdorp
    1938 - 2024

    On the 216th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith and Ivan Ozerets pay tribute to the late Robert Lansdorp. To make an understatement, he was an American tennis treasure.

    The common sense, toughness, drive and gut-wrenching honesty of Robert Lansdorp should not be forgotten. Everyone connected to the development of players and coaches would be wise to study the purity and simplicity of Robert's principles.

    Excerpts from Ken Thomas' (Radio Tennis) interview with Robert highlight Steve and Ivan's discussion. To listen to the entire interview please follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=929nO-I7_9k.

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    1 hr and 38 mins